Untold Secrets
by Queenofilangees
Summary: After Lioness Rampant. Alanna and Gary go on a trip with Jon to tour parts of Tortall. In a village outside of Corus, Alanna and Gary find a strangely familiar stranger. Probable Alanna/Gary
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer : All characters and places (so far) belong to the illustrious Tamora Pierce.  
  
A/N : This is my first try with Alanna fan fiction, but I've written/am writing another fan fiction with Daine and one with Kel. So please, R/R....I like the way I've planned out this story so far, so I want to keep working on this one....For once I've actually got a good (planned out) plan for the story. Go me! So please, read, enjoy, and review!  
  
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'Great,' Alanna thought as she looked in the mirror. She had let her fiery hair grow to just past her shoulder blades, but tonight it was pulled back into a bun at the crown of her head. She was dressed in a dress of a grey flowing material that made Alanna feel like she was wearing nothing. She frequently looked down to reassure herself that she was still fully clothed. 'I hate going to balls. Jon knows that... which is probably why he is making me go,' Alanna mused. ' I miss George...' The last thought came unbidden.   
  
Alanna was at the palace in Corus, while George was managing Pirate's Swoop. Alanna had been called to Corus for a job from the king. She hadn't heard of what it would be yet, but was being coerced into going to this ball before she found out. She silently cursed her old knight-master and lover as she scrunched her feet into the slippers that matched her dress, down to the delicate violet flowers stitched along the toe.   
  
Just as she was finishing lacing up her second shoe, a knock came on the door. "Just a minute," Alanna called, and hurried to tie her shoe. She finished and flung open the door. On the other side stood Duke Gareth the Younger of Naxen. Alanna broke into a wide grin and threw her arms around Gary's neck. He responded by sweeping her into an enthusiastic hug and twirling her around. It had been so long since she'd seen him - not since he'd last stopped by Pirates Swoop, eight months ago. "I'm so glad to see you!" Alanna exclaimed. Then she noticed Gary's clothing, and laughed aloud.   
  
"Looks like our king has forced you into going to the ball tonight too." Alanna giggled. Gary hadn't minded dances and parties when he was younger, but she knew that they were starting to seem like a bore for him. "I wonder how Jonathan puts up with this many parties and all... You'd think that one would go insane after all of that...Not that Jon isn't insane.."  
  
Gary grinned back, eyeing up Alanna's fashion statement, but raised his eyes hurriedly as Alanna raised an eyebrow in a silent, but possibly deadly, question. "I was just looking at your dress, it's very... pretty?" Gary quickly amended.  
  
"Hah, very funny. As if you ever had an eye for fashion." Alanna retorted, but then thought about taking it back. Gary was dressed in a rich maroon complimented by a deep cerulean. It contrasted nicely with his chestnut curls. "Speaking of which, who did you hire to dress you tonight?" Often those with a strong artistic sense or those gifted with design with a good sense of fashion would hire themselves out to help those less artistically inclined.  
  
Gary rolled his eyes and gave Alanna a good-natured nudge. "I didn't pick this out, the King did. Are you meaning to say that you chose to wear a dress willingly?"  
  
"I know, I know," Alanna said, cringing. "I feel half-naked in this!" She let her hands fall to her sides, feeling the lightness of the fabric. She looked up at Gary, almost daring him to say something.   
  
He didn't take the bait, but instead suggested that the two of them take a walk around the palace, seeing old friends, until their presence would be required. Alanna quickly agreed, she didn't want to sit in her room alone for almost an hour. The two of them stopped by Myles' room and started talking. Alanna hadn't seen her adoptive father for almost two months,   
  
The next thing they knew, almost an hour had gone by. "Dammit," Gary cursed aloud, and then looked at Alanna sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Alanna, didn't mean to curse in front of you, being a lady and all..."  
  
"You must be kidding!" Alanna exclaimed, and then expressed her chagrin at the situation almost as colorfully as Gary had. "If you think that now I'm a typical court lady, you're dead wrong, you're still stuck with 'Squire Alan'."  
  
Gary laughed and headed out the door, Alanna on his heels. He was glad that Alanna was still, well, Alanna. It would take a lot to kill her spirit, he mused, and couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Alanna poring over dress patterns, talking about the difference between ivory and off-white - something he could never quite figure out.  
  
Alanna and Gary arrived at the grand hall, just in time to see Jonathan enter. They breathed a collective sigh of relief... They weren't late if they arrived before the King. After Jonathan descended into the hall he quickly sought out Alanna and Gary. They were hovering by the punch bowl, quietly talking. Alanna and Gary gave him the customary welcome for royalty, then fell back into their normal, comfortable conversation. "Alanna, I love your choice of fashion, and Gary, wherever did you get that ensemble?" Jonathan asked facetiously.  
  
Alanna glared. "Very funny, Jon. Now, could you tell us why we had to come to this before we were assigned?" Imposingly, she put her hands on her hips, waiting for an explanation.  
  
Jon smiled. He was used to Alanna's temper, but he knew better than to provoke her. "If you will be patient for another hour or so, I'm making an announcement about it."  
  
Alanna blanched. "An announcement? Don't you think you should let us know what you're signing us up for before you announce it to most of the court?!"  
  
Jon rolled his eyes. "It's not going to be that bad, Alanna. I mean - " He was interrupted by Thayet urgently tapping him on the shoulder. She whispered in his ear quickly. "Can you excuse me for a moment?" Jonathan asked and without waiting for an answer scurried off to the other side of the ballroom.  
  
"Great," Gary groaned. (A/N Sorry about the alliteration, although I do like them) "I guess we're going to be finding out about our new job with the rest of the public."  
  
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So, did you love? Did you hate? Let me know please with a review! 


	2. A New Assignment

Disclaimer : I do not own Tortall, Corus, or Jonathan. I do not own Alanna, Gary or Thayet. I actually probably don't own anything that you recognize, because it all belongs to Tamora Pierce!  
  
A/N : I know that my title's sort of redundant, so if you can think of a new one, please let me know! (And I need a beta reader if anyone is interested)  
  
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As soon as Jonathan took his place, standing at the head of the congregation, all lords and ladies present were silenced immediately. It took no longer than the time it took for a few of the ladies to send a whisper through the crowd. "If you'll please excuse me, ladies and gentlemen," Jonathan began needlessly. "I have an announcement to make. Starting next week, our Champion and Lord Gareth the Younger will be journeying with me to 10 towns and their surrounding villages, outside of Corus. We will be starting a quadrennial tour to showcase some of the best knights in the realm.   
  
As some of you may know, in the past few years, the number of eligible pages who actually come to the palace is far lower than it should be. Therefore, in a few years, the number of fully trained knights of the realm will be scant. With this tour we're hoping to increase morale for those young boy who have the choice of becoming a page." Noticing Alanna's glare, he soon amended, "Or any girl who would like to become a knight." This announcement sent a stir through the crowd. The king, the Champion, and the Duke of Naxen, all in one place at once would be a spectacle that would draw attention, and likely boost the enrollment. Unfortunately, some thought that it would draw too much attention.  
  
"And what of the rest of the realm while you three are cavorting around Tortall? What if there's a problem back here, in the capital?" called an anonymous speaker.  
  
Jonathan smiled indulgently. "I believe that my wife should be able to take care of any problems happening in Corus. She has been a large part of our governing body since she was married to me, and I don't see that ceasing in the near future." With that, Jon politely stepped down, and started back towards his friends.  
  
Alanna looked to Gary in disbelief. "So he's planned out our next half of a year for us?!? We'll definitely be staying in each place for at least two weeks, maybe 3, and we have to plan for bad weather. That's anywhere between four and seven months he could have us traipsing around the realm." Gary opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it. He knew about Alanna when she was in a foul mood. He didn't want to be the one on which she would unleash her wrathful tongue.  
  
Soon Jonathan had shrugged off his followers and had reached Alanna and Gary. Before Alanna could open her mouth, he help up a hand, silencing her for the time being. "Alanna, firstly, I want to apologize." Alanna's mouth dropped open, but he continued. "I know that I should have shared my plan with you earlier, but, well, I think that I sort of forgot, and then remembered a bit too late. I tried to find you before this, but I didn't know where to find you, neither of you were in your rooms. Secondly, I'm hoping that both of you take this assignment because you will, not because I order you to. Both of you are wonderful knights of the realm, and the number of knights who pass the ordeal is decreasing, so we need greater enrollment. Seeing you and Gary will help the boys - and girls realize that they want to give their service to the crown. What do you say?"  
  
Alanna was silent, but Gary spoke up. "Jon, I know that you could order us to do this job and we'd have no choice but to accept, but could you give us the night to think it over?"  
  
Jonathan sighed. Alanna couldn't tell if it was a sigh of exasperation or of assent. "All right, please think it over tonight, and visit me tomorrow at midday so that we may discuss our plans."   
  
Alanna agreed and the three decided to meet at noon the next day in the Dancing Dove. Alanna smiled, remembering when she'd told George she was a girl, when she and George had spent days together talking, and when George had taught her how to wrestle. Now, she was married to him, and they could spend as much time doing that as they wanted to, although little time nowadays was spared for joking.   
  
The atmosphere of Pirate's Swoop was becoming a bit more subdued, which was to be expected, but it still surprised Alanna. Could this serious man have once been the King of Thieves? Now and then, the old George would shine through, often as he was playing with the children, but in the times between, Alanna missed the George she had first met and loved.   
  
She sighed, and headed back to her rooms. Balls always tired her. Just having to stand straight, prim, and proper for hours got to her. Stifling a yawn, she undressed, making sure to hang up the dress and undergarments as she did so, she didn't want to become lazy as so many nobles had, with servants to wait on them hand and foot. In a nightshirt, Alanna finally crawled into bed, loving the feeling of the cool sheets against her legs.   
  
The next thing she new, there was light streaming through the window adjacent to her bed. Judging from the position, it seemed to be around nine o'clock. She hurriedly bathed and dressed in a light maroon tunic and amber breeches. Just because she was in the palace didn't mean that she had to give up her comfort.   
  
She padded down the halls towards Gary's quarters, she wanted to discuss their new assignment. She knocked, and when no one answered, she tried the door. She found Gary, asleep on his bed, the covers twisted around his large form. She tried knocking loudly on the door frame, but to no avail. His soft, but steady snoring still drifted towards Alanna. She groaned and stomped into his room, stopping at the edge of his bed. She considered shaking him, but that would be too easy. Alanna had a better idea, taken from her days as a page. She stooped down, brushing her hair back from her face, as to keep it from touching him, and when she was close enough, blew wetly into his ear.   
  
He sat up with a start, cursing and clawing at his ear. Alanna couldn't suppress her giggles. "What in Mithros' name are you doing here, Alanna?"  
  
She blushed. "Well, I wanted to discuss our new 'job' with you, but you weren't awake. Since there are only two more hours before we have to meet Jonathan, I thought that you would have been ready. Your door was open, so I decided to wake you... Sleep well?"  
  
Gary fixed her with a glare that could have curdled milk. "I was, thank you very much, until a certain Lady Knight came in and decided to disturb my slumber. I can't think of one who would do that, can you?"  
  
Alanna grinned sheepishly. "It could have been me your Grace." She then turned and headed for the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Gary called.  
  
"To wait outside," Alanna replied. "You need to bathe, and I don't think you want to wear that to see our king." she motioned to his nightshirt.  
  
"Okay, you have a point. I'll call when I'm finished." As Alanna walked out, she could have sworn she heard him say, "Next time the door will be locked." She rolled her eyes and wandered the corridor for about fifteen minutes until Gary's door opened. He stood in the door frame illuminated from behind, his chestnut hair still dripping wet. "Are you coming?" was the impatient question. She stepped inside and sat down in a plush chair across from Gary.  
  
"What do you think?" Gary asked.  
  
"I don't know what to think. The pay will be good, but I'm not worried about money." Alanna and Gary had found letters detailing their assignment the night before in their rooms. "I think it's for a good cause, Tortall does need knights, but the time is hovering around five months! And," she continued, "he didn't ask us ahead of time. He's getting cocky with his power, it seems."  
  
"No he's not, Alanna. He is just starting to realize that with his position he has little time left for himself. With the little time he has, should he come debate with you?"  
  
"Well," Alanna amended, "he is very busy, I just wish he hadn't sprung this upon this like he did."  
  
"I know, Alanna, me too, but now we're signed up for this, let's try to make the best of it, okay?"  
  
Alanna rolled her eyes; Gary was such a pacifist, although in situations like this, she was grateful. "All right, let's head out to meet our King now, he should be meeting us in the Dancing Dove in half an hour, let's get moving!"  
  
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I'm still surprised that I posted 2 chapters in 2 days. Oi. Kind of sad, but I wanted to thank all reviewers so far :   
  
Eclipse : Verrrry funny, good thing you're my twin! hehe.  
  
Keita : I fixed the summary, better now? hehe. And you'll have to wait and see what I do with/to Alanna or George...  
  
Jilla Kala : Thanks! I hope you like it,,,,I know about where I'm going with this story, but there's always room for plot twists and turns. 


	3. A few small details

Disclaimer : I own nothing in this, except for the plot. Yet.   
  
A/N : Wow, I don't normally get hooked on a story that I'm writing. I've actually kind of ignored my others... Maybe it's because I actually know how this story is going to play out, and in my others, I just let them do their own thing. Oh well.   
  
By the way, does anyone know of a site or place where I could find an "encyclopedia" of sorts? Something that would have hair/eye color for each of the characters, and any special traits? I've been thinking of making one only because it drives me crazy that I don't know where to find one, and sometimes the secondary characters start to blend in...Thanks! Please enjoy!  
  
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The ride to the Dancing Dove was a companionable one. Alanna and Gary related stories of their days in-training, and Gary helped Alanna stay on top of the news. Alanna asked him how much of a decline he had seen in the pages each year.   
  
"There is a decline in the pages, I remember when we started, and there's about an eight percent decrease. If it keeps decreasing, we're going to have quite a problem."  
  
This news only strengthened Alanna's resolve. Tortall was a great kingdom, and part of that was due to it's knights. She didn't want to do a shabby job now and be responsible for the decay or Tortall later. Sure, she was taking things a bit seriously, but someone had to.  
  
After they reached the Dancing Dove, Alanna took the horses to the stables, where a young boy took them from her and led them to stalls. She tossed him a silver coin, and headed back to the dining room. Gary had already found a table, and had ordered cider for the two of them. Alanna sat down and took a grateful sip of the cider. Jonathan arrived a few minutes later, dressed in comfortable breeches and a deep blue tunic, which made his eyes seem to be an even darker blue than normal.  
  
He soon found Alanna and Gary, and slid into the remaining chair. He ordered mulled wine from a passing waitress and then turned to Alanna and Gary.  
  
Before Jon had a chance to open his mouth, Alanna spoke up. "Jon, we've decided to do it. It's a big committment, but Tortall won't survive and flourish the way it is if we don't have knights to defend it."   
  
At that, Jonathan broke into a tired smile. "Thank you Alanna. I had hoped that you would see things my way. I didn't want to have to argue with you, you're too good with a sword." The three laughed, then ordered lunch. After it arrived, they dug in with gusto.   
  
Alanna wasn't finished with her talk though, "Why is it only going to be Gary, you and me? What about Raoul? He is known as the "Giantkiller"."  
  
"I know, Alanna, and I wanted him to be able to come also, but he is in charge of a company of the King's Own. You and Gary work on your own more, and taking him away for half of a year would influence a lot more people, than you taking the leave." Jon explained.  
  
Alanna sighed, and returned to her lunch. She missed Raoul, not having seen him for a while, and had hoped she would be able to sometime soon. "Oh well," she thought, "I've never been able to choose everything coming my way, and the King's Own does need him."  
  
As they finished their lunches, Jon remembered something. "Can you two please be ready to leave by Wednesday?" Noticing Alanna's wide-eyed look, he clarified, "Yes, Alanna, this Wednesday, as in 4 days from now."  
  
"Jon! I was planning on being able to take a ride home before we left, I need to see George and the children, and I can't really manage a trip there and back in four days!"  
  
"Alanna," he said, his voice was strained. "Please..." he trailed off.  
  
Then Alanna noticed lines in his face that hadn't been there weeks before, and felt a bit bad. Of course he would be away from his partner and children too. 'Yes,' spoke a nasty part of her mind, 'but they knew that when he would be leaving, your family had no idea that they wouldn't see you for months.' She toyed with her fork, getting control of her emotions. "It will be fine, I guess..."  
  
"It can't be that bad," Jon argued. "At least you two will be able to talk, you both have the gift, you can communicate through fires."  
  
"Well, yes," Alanna admitted reluctantly, "but talking to someone through the fire isn't the same as being with them, being able to touch and smell them. But it will be okay, I can do this, we've spent six months apart before, why should this time be any different?"  
  
"Alanna, thank you for understanding. I don't really like leaving this soon either, but it's either leave now and miss the snows, or lollygag now and possibly be caught in a blizzard coming home."  
  
Alanna remembered the last time she had been stuck in a blizzard, and reluctantly agreed with Jonathan. If he waited, there would always be one more thing that needed to be done before they could leave. Now that they were certain that all aspects of the trip had been planned out, the talked about matters that had nothing to do with politics - a welcome change for Jonathan.  
  
Alanna talked about her children. Alianne, Alanna's daughter, didn't want to follow in her mother's footsteps. Alianne was interested in clothes, boys, and parties, which were three things that her mother disliked the most. Still, Alianne was a sweet girl, and had been well-educated. Just because she wasn't interested in warfare, didn't mean that she didn't learn. From George, she learned all of the more underhanded tricks, and from Alanna, she learned about court, even though she knew that it was a very biased view.  
  
Thom, Alanna's younger son, did want to become a knight. He had been trained by George in knife fighting and wrestling, and by Alanna for things that would help him become a good knight. However, he was a bit quiet, and didn't take to learning the way his sister had. Alanna sighed.   
  
"Come on now, Alanna! You can't expect your children to be perfect now, can you?" Judging from Alanna's face, Gary realized that she had. "You aren't perfect, why should your children be?" Alanna gave Gary a withering glare, then laughed. She knew that she wasn't perfect; her temper was living proof.  
  
The rest of the lunch passed uneventfully. "Now, remember to meet me at the stables at nine on Wednesday morning, if I don't see you before then." Jonathan reminded Alanna and Gary.  
  
Alanna rolled her eyes. "Yes, Father."  
  
Jon smirked. "You didn't used to call me father."  
  
"You didn't used to treat me like a child!" Alanna retorted. Gary could smell the electricity in the air. Alanna and Jon really didn't need to make a scene in the Dancing Dove. Gary quietly ushered Alanna towards the exit, Jon following behind.   
  
On the way back to the palace, Gary rode in the middle, separating Alanna and Jon...and their tongues. He made polite conversation, and Alanna and Jon knew better that to bait each other. "It's going to be a long trip," Gary thought to himself and sighed.  
  
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That night, Alanna tried to contact George through the fire, but he didn't respond. "He must not be in bed yet...or else he's asleep," she thought, and decided to try later. She cleaned her teeth and changed into her nightshirt, then tried again. Still no response. She climbed in bed with a sigh. He must already have been asleep, she told herself, and drifted off into a strange sleep. One minute she thought that she was dreaming, the next she thought that she was awake, but she was never quite sure.  
  
Once, she awoke and saw George standing at the foot of her bed. Not saying anything, just standing and watching her. There waes no hint of a smile on his lips, and the normal mischeviousness in his eyes was hidden from Alanna. She sat up and called to him, but still got no response. As she reached towards him, he slowly faded, leaving her alone.  
  
Finally, the sun crept over the horizon, releasing Alanna from bed. She rolled out of bed, and went to the bath houses to bathe. She got out feeling lazy, but refreshed. She dressed simply. She had no one to impress today, but strapped Lightning securely at her waist, she knew better than to leave anywhere without it.   
  
She got to the mess hall just in time to see Gary sit down. She quickly got some food and went to sit with him. They ate in a comfortable silence. Gary had never been a morning person. When they were done eating, they went out to the practice areas. It wasn't a cold morning, it was just brisk. Even though Alanna hated the cold, she liked the feeling of the cool air on her bare arms. She wouldn't be hot for long.   
  
She and Gary went through a few practice bouts to warm up. Alanna loved the feeling she got of having the blade in her control, and knowing that her body would do what she demanded of it. Their fencing got more intense, and by the time they were finished, both were drenched in sweat. Alanna clapped a hand on Gary's shoulder - or what she could reach of it. "What do you say we go into the city for midday?" Alanna suggested. "But I need another bath first..."  
  
Gary laughed. "I'll meet you by your rooms in, what? An hour?"   
  
"Sounds good," Alanna said and trotted off towards the baths - for the second time that day.  
  
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A/N : Thank yous! I really want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far, I know the plot hasn't really gotten started yet, but I DO know what's going to happen, and I like it so far. I'm also working on two other fics, read them please if you get the chance! (After Scanra, Before Love, and Unrest in the Desert)  
  
So, thank you to :   
  
thekeeperofwords : I fixed your little problem in this chapter, and besides if he had gone, it would have caused too much...friction(?) later. If he went, I'd have had to kill him off...just kidding! Sort of.  
  
jjread : I know that it's not very exciting yet, the plot is yet to come. In the next chapter or so.  
  
Clarylissa : I think that my story is supposed to be odd...I haven't seen any like it on ff.net...but it will get better! I promise!  
  
Jen : Thank you! Just thank you! hehe. I was wondering if Alanna was...Alanna enough.  
  
Jilla Kala : Thank you...I'm trying to keep writing. hehe. 


	4. Familial Discussions over Lunch

Alanna towel-tried her hair, wringing it out as best she could. Then she shook it so that little droplets of water fanned out around her. As she was brushing her hair, a knock came at the door. "Come in," she called, tying her hair back out of her face. The door opened, and Gary walked in.  
  
"Ready for lunch?" he greeted her.   
  
"I was born ready," she challenged him, and grabbed a coat, it looked like it might start to rain, and she hated being cold. Gary walked out of the room, with Alanna on his heels. She locked the door, and they continued down to the stables. When they got there, Alanna stopped dead and cursed. Gary looked towards where she was pointing...  
  
"I don't see anything." he stated, puzzled.  
  
"Of course you don't, Gary," Alanna said, her voice overly patient. "Look closer, now what do you see?"  
  
Try as he might, Gary couldn't see anything. "Alanna, you do remember, I don't have the gift as strongly as you do, so if it's magic..."  
  
Alanna rolled her eyes. "You were right when you said that you didn't see anything." Alanna walked over to the stall where Moonlight had been that morning. It was empty. "Dear Alanna," she read from a note tacked to the door of the stall. "I'm sorry that I couldn't give you notice before now, but I needed to borrow a horse, mine is being re-shoed. Your favorite ex-page, Sir Nealan." Alanna's mouth twisted. "I knew I shouldn't have been so lenient with that boy."  
  
Gary tried to hold back a snicker, but it came out sounding like a greyhound in pain. Alanna shot him a look, but didn't say anything. "So, what are you going to do?" he asked as he looked around. The only other horse in the stables at the moment was his own. "We could always hire a carriage," he suggested.  
  
Alanna made a face, then her eyes lit up. "Do you think Bob could carry us both?" she asked, motioning to Gary's horse.   
  
Gary looked at his horse contemplatively. "Bob is a strong horse, and the ride isn't that long. We would have to ride bareback though, the saddle won't seat both of us. If you're okay with doing that, it's fine by me."  
  
"I -am- hungry, and if you think he could carry us...We did that when we were pages, so what's the difference?" She opened Bob's stall and led him out, Gary on the other side. They blinked in the sunlight, and Alanna swung up on Bob's back. Gary took a few seconds longer, and got up behind her. Alanna took the reins, and they started towards the inn. They rode slowly and leisurely. Neither wanted to be seen falling off of a horse, especially not when they were traveling in the next week, where they should be respected.   
  
The two reached the city after half an hour. Neither had fallen off, but Gary had come close once. They reached the main street of Corus, and looked around. As they traveled down the crowed road, they debated where to stop. They finally decided on the Dancing Cartman. Both had been there before and had eaten well.   
  
The stable boy who took Bob's reins gave the pair a knowing grin. Alanna blushed helplessly. The boy thought that she and Gary were an ...item! She glanced up at Gary, hoping that he hadn't seen the look the boy had shot him. Luckily, he was completely oblivious. She kept her eyes downcast as she followed Gary into the tavern.   
  
Gary ordered for the both of them, and the food came out quickly. It was hot and filling. They ate in a comfortable silence, each concentrating on their plates. They finished soon after, and sat back, enjoying the feeling of being full and in good company.   
  
"So, what do you really think of this?" Gary asked, breaking the silence. Alanna had never been one to begin a chat about her feelings.   
  
"I don't know." Alanna sighed. "I don't like the idea of leaving the kids and George for so long. I mean, I know that they can take care of themselves. Maybe I'm just being selfish. I know that I'm going to miss them, and them me, we hope." Alanna said with a grin, although her eyes were a bit too bright.   
  
Concerned, Gary inched his chair closer to hers, and put his arm around her shoulder. She involuntarily stiffened, but didn't move away. "I know they'll miss you. You are their favorite mother, after all. Actually, their only mother," he joked, but it fell flat.   
  
Alanna looked up at Gary, and suddenly seemed to realize that he had his arm around her. Her face burned, remembered the look given to her by the stable boy on the way in. She quickly shrugged Gary off, noting his look of disappointment. 'It's not that I don't care for Gary,' Alanna reasoned with herself, 'but I do have a loving husband, and two children by him. We both care for each other, and nothing strange will happen in these few months.'  
  
Alanna straightened and looked up at Gary. "I'm sorry. I'm acting like such a female aren't I?" She gave him a wry smile, and pushed back her chair. "Let's head back to the palace." she suggested.   
  
"Right away, fair damsel." Gary swept his arm in a parody of the elegant bow he used for court functions. Alanna smiled weakly as he left the tip and headed back to the stables. To Alanna's relief, the stable boy who had taken Bob the first time, was no where to be seen. Alanna sighed and saddled Bob herself. Alanna and Gary rode home, the ride being much quieter than the one to the inn, each with things on their mind.  
  
The pair arrived back at the castle around two, and each parted to go back to their own rooms agreeing to meet for dinner, but until then, Alanna had to try to contact George again.   
  
~*~  
  
Alanna walked into her rooms, and began to light a fire in the fireplace. When she had a good-sized fire blazing in the hearth, she crossed the room to her desk and took out a few packets of herbs. She tossed them into the fire, adding some of her magic to each item she put in. Soon the fire was silently burning, void of the normal cracks of the logs burning. There were also shots of purple fire laced through it. Alanna smiled with satisfaction, she loved it when her magic worked so perfectly.   
  
She began murmuring the incantation that would give her a view into her room at Pirates Swoop. Soon all the familiar aspects of her room came into focus. And one not so familiar.  
  
George lay on their bed, with his arm around someone. Alanna leaned closer to the fire, not paying attention to the heat quickly drying her skin. Long hair spilled over Alanna's bedspread, and it was not Alanna's hair. It was long and black. And it was attached to a woman that Alanna did not recognize. George shifted so that Alanna could see his face. He was asleep, and if the look on his face was any indication, contentedly so. Alanna quickly shielded her presence. She didn't know why, but she didn't want George to know that she had caught him yet. She left a gate open through her fireplace. So long as the fire didn't die, she would be able to look into George's room with just a simple word. "So mote it be." Alanna stated.   
  
Alanna then sat down hard on a couch, and was grateful it was so close. She had had no idea of what had been going on at Pirate's Swoop while she was away, and now she almost wished that she still didn't. Strangely, Alanna couldn't cry. Maybe she was in shock, or maybe she just didn't care. Alanna started. That last thought had come unbidden, and was like a loose tooth. Now that she had to keep playing with it. 'Of course you care,' she tried to tell herself. She just wasn't sure if she believed herself.  
  
  
~*~  
  
A/N : Oh my. This story was all planned out in the beginning. And then, well, it just took a drastic plot turn at the end of this chapter. At least it turned from where the story was originally going. I think I'm taking too long to get to the real plot of this story. Meh. Oh well. But please review. I haven't gotten a lot of feedback with this story. Could you just please tell me if I should keep writing? 


	5. A hard truth

Alanna awoke the next morning by the sun's gentle light seeping through the curtains. She let herself bask in the sunlight, until she remembered - _George was sleeping with another woman,_ the ugly, un-favored part of her mind reminded her. _How long has this been going on?_ All at once, Alanna felt tears well up at the corners of her eyes, but she brushed them away angrily. This was her fault. George shouldn't be expected to stay chaste while she was off fighting wrongdoers and keeping up the right. _What am I thinking?!_ she interrupted herself. _George is _**married**_ to me. He knew when we got into this that things wouldn't always be easy...but he pledged that he would love me._

After twenty minutes of arguing with herself, Alanna forced herself to get out of bed, at least. She walked over to the window, and drew back the curtain. Judging by the sun, it was already after eight. _Gary is probably wondering where I am...we decided to meet to practice at eight._ For once Alanna couldn't bring herself to care. She knew her friends would though. _I don't want to drag them into this_, Alanna thought. _This is my problem, not theirs, and I have a duty to Tortall._

__

With that decision made, Alanna quickly washed up from the tub in her bathroom, and dressed in practice clothes. She trotted down to the practice courts, stopping only to grab an apple from the mess hall. By the time the redhead finally reached the practice courts, Gary had already been there and waiting for what could have been hours by the look on his face, even though Alanna knew that it couldn't have been too much more than twenty minutes. 

"Where've you been?" he asked, a twinkle in his eye. "Oversleep?" 

"Uhm, yes, I guess so," Alanna decided. The whole fact that she had been up late replaying the scene in _her_ bedroom couldn't have had anything to do with the haziness clouding her senses. 

"What, no witty remark or threat for bothering you before the sun has reached its zenith?" 

Alanna rolled her eyes. "You _want _me to bite your head off?" 

"Of course not," Gary amended, "you'll do that on the court anyway." 

Alanna couldn't help but smile. "You can be assured of that," she replied as she pushed George - and the raven-haired woman - to the back of her mind for the time being. 

~*~ 

As the two friends warmed up, Gary thought, _Alanna's not herself. Something's happened, but I know better than to pry - at least not in the morning_ he mentally amended. 

Alanna swung her sword in the patterns taught since pagedom, but her heart wasn't in it. Her movements were a bit mechanical, and they didn't carry on the light conversation they normally would. Her swings were fiercer, but she left herself open. 

After a few minutes of their fencing, Gary sliced in with his practice sword, letting it rest at the base of Alanna's neck. 

"I yield." Alanna gave the customary response. They both then removed their helmets and went to grab drinks of water. 

"Alanna, what's going on out there? You aren't fighting nearly as precisely as you normally do." 

Instantly an invisible shield seemed to spring up around Alanna. "What do you mean?" she asked defensively. 

"You don't seem like yourself. Either something is bothering you, or...well I don't know, but something has to be wrong." Gary said, not letting Alanna's defense fool him. He had known her too many years for that. 

A shadow flitted over Alanna's features. "It's nothing Gary, just womanly troubles," she said, hoping to embarrass him into silence. 

It worked for the time being, but Gary knew that he would persist until he found the true cause of Alanna's uneasiness. 

"What do you say we break for the day," Gary suggested, tactfully. He didn't want to bruise Alanna's pride along with whatever else was nagging at her. 

Alanna sighed with relief. "Sounds good," she said, and quickly returned the practice sword. "Do you want to eat lunch?" She asked, almost hoping that he would say 'no' so that she could sulk in private. 

"Of course," he said adamantly. "Who else would I eat with? Who else would **you** eat with?" He almost didn't notice the tears forming in the corner of Alanna's eyes as she laughed falsely and hurried back to her rooms. 

~*~ 

Once in the safety of her own room, Alanna quickly closed the door, and leaned against it, sliding down it until she looked nothing like a strong knight in shining armor, but was only a crumpled rag-doll tossed to the side after a child had tired of it. Acting like everything was okay took a lot out of her. She quickly gathered herself together again, and headed towards the fire. She knew she shouldn't, but she was a woman, and by nature curious. She spoke the word of power, and the window opened into Pirate's Swoop again. The bed was empty now, but mussed. Alanna began to wonder if she had been imagining the picture earlier until she spotted an article of clothing discarded in the corner. 

A very feminine article of clothing. 

_Well at least I'm not going crazy._ Alanna thought, retaining a wry sense of humor even under the circumstances. She hurried to change, leaving the scene burning in the fireplace. After she dressed, she added more wood to the fire. It wasn't a hot day, but if the fire went out, she would have to restart the whole ritual. After that, she went to straighten up her room. She didn't want to get complacent being at the palace for the two more days she would be staying. 

"Alanna, are you ready for lunch?" came Gary's voice from the other side of her door. 

"It's open, come on in," she called. 

Gary walked in, and sat down on her bed. Then he noticed the scene glowing in the fireplace. "Playing sorceress again, Alanna?" he asked with a grin. 

"It's nothing," Alanna muttered, and went to recite the incantation to hide it. Just then, George walked into the scene with the giggling woman in his arms. The same woman Alanna had seen the night before. George dumped the woman onto the bed, with a mischevious grin. As the scene before Alanna began to unfold, she finally closed the portal, and turned around apprehensively, chewing on her lip. Gary must have seen the whole thing. 

Gary's eyes were as big as saucers. "That was George." He stated needlessly. "With another woman. In your bed." He was dumbfounded. He had thought that Alanna and George were getting along well. Then he saw the tears forming in her eyes. Apparently, so had she. 

"I didn't want to say anything, Gary. I didn't want to bring you, or Jon into this. It's not your problem, it's mine." Alanna said, strengthening her will. She wouldn't be treated like a fragile piece of glass. 

"But, Alanna," George protested, "You had to have known we'll stand beside you." 

"No!" Alanna blurted out. "Don't tell Jon. Not yet anyway He's got enough on his mind without my trivialities to think about. But what should I do?" she asked with a note of desperation. 

"I don't know," Gary answered truthfully. "Can you go on with your life regularly knowing that while you're away George is cavorting with another woman?" 

The look in Alanna's eyes was more than enough of an answer for Gary. Alanna's temper was nearing its boiling point. 

"Okay, so we're not going to go on like this with George. What _are_ you going to do? Nothing violent please, Alanna," he reminded her. "Think of your children." 

Alanna took a deep breath. Gary was right, as little as she would want to admit it. "I guess for now, there's nothing I can really do about it, is there? I'll send him a letter today, I suppose." 

"Don't do anything you'll regret," Gary warned. 

"I won't." Alanna promised. _Even though George has already done something he's going to regret._ "I'll meet you in half an hour? I want to be able to send the letter out with the next available courier." 

"That'll be fine." Gary turned to go. "Alanna?" 

"Huh?" she grunted, rooting through her desk for some paper and pen. 

"Just so you know, even if George isn't there for you know. I always will be." Gary quickly left, leaving Alanna quiet, with more to think about. _Oh well,_ she thought. _Life never _has _been easy_

_Dear George,_ (she wrote) 

_I will not be home for at least four months. Jon is taking Gary and me on a tour through Tortall to help increase the number of pages. If you need me, contact me through the fire, or send a letter._

_Give Alianne and Thom my love. Remind Thom to continue practicing his sword-work, and Alianne to work on her Yamani. Make sure they know that I love them, and tell them to send me letters._

_I hope you're having the time (and woman) of your life while I'm away._

_Take care,_

_Alanna_

__

As she sealed the letter, Alanna tried to keep her few tears from spilling down her cheeks. She succeeded, except for one, which blurred her name, rendering it nearly unreadable. 


	6. Chapter 6

Hey, I'm sorry I haven't updated for so long. The last month or so of school is killer, and now I've got finals next week, which SOME people think are more important than going out with their friends on a *Friday* night. But, anyway...will not go off on a tangent, as...that would just be bad.  
  
I really want to thank all of my reviewers! Y'all are so great! But I do have a few comments I have to make now:  
  
Rima : Thank you for pointing out that Gary was married. I guess that would put a kink in the story, but for all intents and purposes in this fanfic, we'll pretend that he's not.  
  
Anyway...here's the chapter! Thanks again to all of my reviewers and keep reading please, even though it normally takes me forever to update!  
  
~*~  
  
A brisk rapping on the door woke Alanna the next morning. Opening bleary eyes, she took in the fact that the sun was already up, and probably had been for an hour at least. "Who is it?" she managed to croak.  
  
"Tybal, mi'lady," came the voice; "I was sent by the king, he requests your presence in the banquet room in about one half hour, lady."  
  
Alanna cleared her throat, and swore quietly. She then thanked the messenger, and climbed out of bed, groaning as her ankles popped, as they did every morning. To wake herself up, she splashed some water on her face before getting dressed. Looking into the mirror, she saw here eyes were slightly pink. She wasn't sure if it was because of George or because she had just gotten up.   
  
Deciding not to worry about it, she dressed simply, but appropriately, grey breeches, and a soft maroon tunic with grey stitching. She quickly brushed her hair and tied it back, it was getting long, she noticed.  
  
After slipping on shoes, she headed towards the banquet room, taking note of the things she normally wouldn't, the maids bustling around doing laundry or straightening rooms, the pages heading to and from classes, ladies with their perfect hair. Their lives all looked so simple from where Alanna was. None of them had husbands to worry about.   
  
Before long, she arrived, and greeted the king. She wasn't surprised to see Gary sitting next to Jon, poring over a map. "Good morning, Alanna," Jonathan greeted her with a smile.  
  
Gary also greeted her with a smile. He raised an eyebrow in a silent question. She nodded, almost imperceptibly. She was grateful that she would have Gary with her in this procession. He would keep her and Jon from each other's throats.   
  
"We're going over the maps for our trip, as we do leave tomorrow, you remember. We were thinking of starting out from Corus and going about twenty miles north. Then we'll work our way in a zigzagging circle around the capitol, and end up right where we began." As Jon continued in his speech, she listened with only one ear. Her eye had been caught by Gary's.   
  
"Are you okay?" he mouthed. They had become experts at lip reading. Well, perhaps experts was an exaggeration, but it did come in handy to be able to communicate across the classrooms during training.   
  
Kel nodded. "I'm fine," she mouthed back. Gary looked unconvinced, but dropped the subject, as they had just realized that Jon had asked a question.  
  
"Umm, yes?" Gary answered.  
  
"So you do think that purple basilisks make wonderful pets for children of any age?" Jon asked.  
  
"Uh huh," Alanna answered, before she realized what Jon had asked, as he raised an eyebrow. "I mean..."  
  
"Not enough sleep, Alanna? Or is there something Gary would like to say to all of us?" he asked pointedly, sounding too much like a grey-haired teacher for Alanna's liking.  
  
A devious smile on her lips, she reacher over, and mussed Jon's hair. He froze, and turned to her, mouth open. "You did not just do that..." he marveled. "Do you know how long it takes me to do my hair?"  
  
At this, Alanna and Gary looked to eachother, then burst out laughing. After a moment Jon joined in too, looking more like the Jon that Alanna knew, than she had seen him for months. "Thank you, Alanna." Alanna must have looked surprised, as he said, "I haven't been able to laugh at myself for a while. However, I have the odd, sinking, feeling that you and Gary will have me doing it often, if I'm not mistaken." Alanna and Gary's mischevious grins didn't refute that. Jon sighed, but Alanna could tell it was exaggerated. "Well, since my whole set of plans seems to bore you so much, I'll just give you the information on tomorrow. Meet in the stables just after breakfast, and we'll ride all day, only stopping for lunch. Make sure you pack everything you think that you'll need for our trip. I don't know how good the conditions will be."  
  
Now Alanna was getting suspicious. "What do you mean, Jon? Don't all pages have to come from a fief or manor, or something?"  
  
Jon stood up, shifting his weight back and forth. "That's what the rule originally was, and it didn't affect most young boys who wanted to become knights. If they were lower-class, they would be needed to work at home or at the family business. We truly haven't been getting enough pages in the past few years, and if they and their families want them to come, I don't see any reason as to why they can't. They will still have to pay for their own equipment that's not supplied, of course, but we think it will help."  
  
Alanna was shocked. She had always wondered about that rule, was it really fair just to keep a boy (or girl) from training if only their parents' standing was keeping them from their dream? Before when she had breeched the subject, Jon passed it off as "ridiculous". Now he had decided to go through with it. "Wow," Alanna stated, unsure of what else to say.  
  
"I thougnt you would like that I used your idea!" Jon said.  
  
"Yes, but only if it would help you, and make you, look good!" Alanna shot back without stopping to think.  
  
Gary heaved the first, of what was bound to be many, sighs, and intervened. "Come on, Alanna. Now that you have your orders, how about some lunch?"  
  
"But I haven't had breakfast yet!" she protested, as Gary led her from the room. Looking back, he saw Jon shaking his heead, probably wondering what he had gotten himself into.  
  
"So, are you hungry?" Gary asked her as they walked through the hallways of the palace together.  
  
"Not really," Alanna answered, "I think I'll grab something and head back to my rooms to pack. Is that okay?"  
  
"Sure... Do you want to meet for dinner? I know a place outside of the palace that's pretty good," he suggested.  
  
"If you want," Alanna said, noncomittally. She didn't really want to have to socialize, but she knew it would do her good, and she didn't want to hurt Gary's feelings. "Do you just want to stop by my rooms around six?"   
  
"It's a date!" Gary confirmed, then colored, "I mean, well, not a date date, but we've set a time, and we're going to eat and-"   
  
"Believe me, I know what you mean, not to worry," Alanna reassured him, and headed towards her own rooms to get to work.  
  
~*~  
  
Just as the sun was setting, Gary knocked on Alanna's door. "Coming!" Alanna called, as she shut her last bag and opened the door. Alanna had no way of knowing what was running through Gary's head as she walked into the hallway.  
  
She looks beautiful... She doesn't deserve to be treated this way by her own husband! Instead of voicing his true thoughts, Gary asked, "So, are you ready for some good food and drink? With some excellent company, if I say so myself."  
  
Alanna couldn't stop her grin. "The food and drink for sure..." She teased, and laughed at Gary's injured expression.   
  
"I'll have you know that I am the finest of company," he informed her, as they traipsed out to the stables.  
  
This time, both horses were there, and the pair was saddled and ready to go in a matter of minutes. They set out in a comfortable silence, each immersed in their own thoughts. When they finally arrived, they got a seat quickly and ordered. Going against her normal principles, Alanna ordered ale. She hated it when people were drunk, but tonight she didn't really care.  
  
~*~  
  
"Umm, Alanna?" Gary started tentatively, "Don't you think that you've had enough to drink?" The evidence was plain on the table. Three empty mugs sat in front of Alanna's place, and she was working on her fourth.   
  
Alanna hiccupped. "What do you mean?" She started to lean a bit too far to the right, but caught herself before falling out of it completely. She giggled, and twirled a chunk of her hair around a finger flirtatiously.  
  
Gary was starting to get worried, he had never seen Alanna very drunk before, and for that, he was now grateful. "I think it might be time to get you to bed," he suggested, keeping his voice as he would while dealing with a temperamental child.   
  
Alanna grinned widely, her eyes not entirely in focus. "That's sounds nice," she agreed, and pushed her chair back to stand up. It was a good thing Gary was sitting right across from her, because as soon as she was in a standing position, her knees buckled, and Alanna found herself on the floor. She looked around in bewilderment, as if wondering how she got there.   
  
Gary groaned, and bent to pick up Alanna. He grunted a bit as he hoisted the lady knight and firmly placed her arm around his shoulder. She looked up at him and Gary had to look away, his face coloring slightly at the thought that had just flashed through his brain. You want her, said the voice that Gary didn't normally like to listen to; it was much too brutally honest.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, Gary half-dragged, half-carried, Alanna out of the door of the pub leading her back towards where the horses were tied. "Can you ride?" he asked her, and then realized was a ridiculous question it was. First of all, Alanna would never admit to not being able to do something, and secondly, she couldn't even stand up, there was no way she would be able to ride back to the palace.   
  
With a small sigh of resignation, Gary decided to have Alanna on his horse with him, letting her horse follow behind. As they rode, Gary was uncomfortably aware of their bodies pressing together. She was in from of Gary, and turned around sometimes to speak to him. Most of it was nonsensical babbling, but then something caught his attention.  
  
"D'you know how handsome you look in the moonlight?" Alanna asked him. Gary wasn't sure if she expected an answer or not, so he gave a noncommittal grunt. No more of Alanna's drunken talk reached Gary's ears, thankfully. After he dismounted at the palace, he turned around, and lifted Alanna to the ground. Seeing that she still couldn't stand on her own, he decided to carry her to his rooms, as he wouldn't be able to open hers.   
  
When they reached the door, Gary propped Alanna against the wall long enough to find his key. "What we doing here?" Alanna asked, looking confused.   
  
"You need some rest," he explained, "And I won't be able to get into your rooms, so I'll let you sleep here tonight."  
  
"Thanks so much, Gary," Alanna responded, her voice slurred. "You're such a great friend." Before Gary had an idea of what was coming next, Alanna had thrown her arms around his neck, and began kissing him.   
  
Gary's first reaction (like most males) was pleasure. Her lips were so soft, and they pressed against his, as if hunting for treasure. His hands were exploring her back, feeling the hard muscles there from years of training and fighting. He felt her tongue asking for permission to enter his mouth, warm and persistent. Before he knew what he was doing, his mouth was open too, and he began exploring more of Alanna than he ever had been able to before.  
  
Gary's second reaction was shock. He pulled back, and looked down at Alanna, her hair starting to fall in her eyes, and looking like a rejected puppy. "What were you doing?" he asked her, unsure of what he wanted the answer to be.   
  
"I just wanted to kiss you," she slurred, sounding hurt.  
  
By now, Gary had taken time to strengthen his resolve. "You're only doing this because you're drunk, you know that. Well, maybe not right now, but in the morning you will. But if you do feel like that about me," he swallowed, "tell me when you're not drunk, and I know that it's the Alanna I've grown to know and love. Now, come in. You can have the bed, I'll take the couch."  
  
He looked down and saw a very docile Alanna, eyes closed and leaning against the wall. Gary sighed and led her to his bed. He removed her tunic and breeches, leaving her in her underclothes. He forced himself to look away, and not stare at her body, as he knew many men would do. He tucked her in, and bestowed a light and chaste kiss on her forehead.  
  
Gary readied himself for bed, and climbed onto the couch, using an old blanket as a pillow. As he reached up to extinguish the lamp, he whispered into the dark, "I love you, Alanna," before falling asleep.   
  
If he had stayed awake a few minutes longer, he would have heard Alanna's sleepy, "I love you, too." 


End file.
